


i need you (to give me your time);

by mevies



Category: The Perfectionists (TV 2019)
Genre: F/F, ava is distracting and caitlin makes ava nervous, ohh first fic of the pairing????!!!!!!!!, this is trash but it’s fluffy and i wrote it in 30min
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-12-18 13:36:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18250913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mevies/pseuds/mevies
Summary: Lately, Caitlin couldn’t help but let her mind... wander.





	i need you (to give me your time);

**Author's Note:**

> hello. ship them. bye.

"Can you stop that?"   
  
"Stop what?"    
  
"That."    
  
Ava raises her eyebrows, as if silently asking "what?" exasperatedly, and Caitlin rolls her eyes. She'd been sitting at this coffee house for hours now, deep into her cramming for next week's test when Ava unceremoniously sat down at the table with her, groaning about something or another that's happened today. Caitlin didn't pay her mind, knowing that her input wasn't really needed, wanted nor necessary.    
  
Ava just liked to vent.   
  
But then, apparently, being silent and studying while Ava was distressed about how someone wearing the same shirt as her on campus - which, on any other day and time, Caitlin would’ve commented on or joked about, but on days like today when her main focus were the words on her book, Ava was free of any and all teasing remarks from the short haired girl - was not acceptable.

  
The brunette, annoyed at the lack of response from her friend, started drumming her fingers on the wooden table and humming to a song or another, making Caitlin lose focus for a few seconds.   
  
"How come I've ranted for 10 minutes and you didn't even glance my way, but the moment I start making a little noise --"   
  
"I can tune out words, not noise. You know that."   
  
"That's ridiculous. Words have noise. We learn that in like, kindergarten." Ava rolls her eyes, and Caitlin sighs to herself.    
  
There's a silence for a beat after that, and then:   
  
"What are you even studying for?" Ava asks, motioning for a friendly waitress to get her order. When she receives a nod from the girl, she turns to Caitlin, waiting for her answer.   
  
"Next week’s exam." Caitlin answers, not looking up from the book she's furiously scribbling on.    
  
"Ew." Is the only reply she gets, and it doesn't surprise her. That gets a small smile from Caitlin, and Ava smiles to herself at getting the reaction from her. The waitress chooses this moment to come, then, and Ava quickly orders some fries and sparkly water, pausing for a second before she checks Caitlin’s mug and orders another cup for her friend.   
  
"Thanks." Caitlin says once the waitress leaves, and Ava only nods, looking around the place while she waits.    
  
"Do you think I could rock a red hair?" Ava asks randomly after watching a red-haired girl walk out of the establishment. Caitlin hums, not really paying her words much mind, and Ava rolls her eyes at her friend.    
  
Guess she  _ was _ good at tuning out words.    
  
She keeps watching the people around her, then, making small notes of the outfits she likes and the ones she doesn't - and what she'd do to improve them - and 10 minutes have passed without them saying anything.   
  
Ava really likes spending time with Caitlin. Even when she's just... outright ignoring her like she is now, spending time with her brainy friend has become one of Ava’s favorite things to do. She finds that Caitlin grounds her whenever she feels agitated or like the world is against her. Kind of like her own safety belt. 

  
She watches while Caitlin focuses on whatever it is she's studying - truthfully, Ava hasn't opened her books in like, three weeks - and Ava smiles a little at how confused Caitlin looks.    
  
It's always amusing to watch Caitlin when she's confused by whatever it is she's studying - she won't admit that she doesn't understand something, and she'll refuse to ask for help. Her eyebrows furrow and she purses her lips, and Ava almost swoons at how adorable she looks right now.   
  
The waitress finally comes with Ava's order and Caitlin sighs and thanks her for the coffee, and Ava laughs when Caitlin burns her tongue with the hot liquid.   
  
"Maybe don't burn your tongue off, kid." Ava says, biting on a fry. Caitlin sticks out her very red and irritated tongue at her, which makes Ava chuckle more.    
  
“You’re cute.” Ava says, her tone enlaced with endearment and it makes Caitlin roll her eyes and smile. Her tongue is still on fire, and she’s very tired from all this cramming and words and letters, but Ava’s presence - it’s calming. The girl’s rambling and humming and general presence had become calming to Caitlin in ways that no pill or classical music had ever achieved.    
  
She finds that she begins to think of Ava as her own ray of sunshine, even if a feisty and sassy one with a sharp tongue and quick wit. It’s corny and she doesn’t think she’d ever say this to the other girl, but sometimes being around Ava felt like the feeling one uses to describe watching the sunset - that same warmth was there. 

  
She’s getting sidetracked now, she notices. It’s always like that - she can’t concentrate whenever Ava is in the same room. Not just because the brunette makes it impossible to with all the talking and humming and drumming of manicured fingers against the table, but because Ava’s presence has always meant that Caitlin can’t put her mind to work when her friend is around. Because, honestly, just who would want to focus on school or whatever else when someone as interesting as Ava is sitting right there?    
  
“What are you up to, besides disrupting my studying?” Caitlin asks, stealing a french fry from Ava’s plate and chuckling when the girl glares.    
  
“Nothing. I was supposed to have a shoot this afternoon but the model backed out at the last minute because of a fever and now I have the entire afternoon free, and I plan on spending it with you.” Ava said easily, and Caitlin pretended to be offended.   
  
“Gee, thank you. I love being a second option.” Caitlin said, and Ava rolled her eyes.   
  
“Shut up, you know you’re my first.” Then, after a beat, she widened her eyes and backtracked: “Option! First option!”    
  
At that, Caitlin laughed loudly and closed her notebook, knowing she wasn’t going to get much done with the brunette here. “Damn, so close.” She responded, faking disappointment, and Ava chuckled.   
  
“Unfortunately, you’re not my first. But I can arrange for you to be the next.” Ava said, winking, and Caitlin felt her cheeks heating up.    
  
She knew Ava was joking, she knew that this is how they were - plus, pretending to flirt was a normal thing between girls, right? Besides, it’d be weird. There was a lot of history and weird things between Ava and Caitlin for something like that to ever work out, or even be an actual thought. 

 

But lately, as in a few months ago, more precisely since  _ that one night _ , Caitlin couldn’t help but let her mind... wander. 

  
Ava was strikingly beautiful, that was just a given. Everyone that crossed paths with her would turn back and look twice. She’s the girl that every boy and girl wanted to be or be with. And she wasn’t just beautiful on the outside - no, Ava made it ten times harder for anyone to not fall for her with her incredible personality. With her brown hair and bright smile, she was the embodiment of warmth. And Caitlin couldn’t help but not feel the pull towards her newly found friend. And sometimes, when Ava said things like that, she would wonder if the brunette didn’t feel it too. The pull. 

 

And it’s not like this is new, either. No, Caitlin has always been aware of Ava’s… everything. She’d have to be blind  _ and  _ deaf to not be. And ever since they’d become closer - thanks (is that too morbid?) to the tragedy that had bound them together, most likely for forever -, Caitlin has found herself wanting to be around the other girl more and more and more — so much more, that Ava was the co-star of her every dream every time she managed to get some sleep. 

 

“Hello? Earth to Cait?” Ava chuckles when Caitlin’s eyes snap back into focus, “You okay? You were just staring at me.” 

 

Caitlin’s more than thankful for her tan skin when she feels the warmth rising to her cheeks as she says, “Oh, sorry. Early morning, is all. I feel a bit off.”

 

“You  _ always  _ have early mornings,” Ava says, taking a sip through her straw, “Seriously, one would think you’d be used to it by now. Waking up at 5AM everyday and going to bed at 3? Just another day on Caitlin’s life.” 

 

Caitlin smirks, “How do you know my sleeping schedule?” 

 

Ava doesn’t let the question stump her, “I see you running past my window every day. In fact, I’m not even convinced you sleep at all.” 

 

Caitlin raises an eyebrow, “So you can see me when you’re sleeping?”

 

“My sleeping schedule isn’t what’s being discussed right now.” 

 

“Right,” Caitlin nods, folding her arms on top of the table as she squints, “And what exactly are we discussing right now?”

 

“We’re discussing the fact that I think you’re a vampire.” 

 

Caitlin can’t help it — she snorts. Ava smiles widely at the response and the girl with the shorter hair shakes her head, still smiling amusedly, “Seen a lot of Twilight lately, have we?”

 

“Just the first one, last night,” Ava pouts, “I couldn’t sleep.”

 

“Why not?” Caitlin asks, concerned before she could help herself. Ava notices it and smiles. 

 

“I dunno,” She shrugs, and with her eyes down and her tone soft, she continues, “Just my mind running wild.” 

 

“With?” Caitlin prompts, her eyebrows slightly raised. She pretends she doesn’t see the smile playing at the corner of Ava’s lips and she already knows what the girl is gonna answer before she even says it:

 

“You.” 

 

Caitlin rolls her eyes. 

 

“You must really love running, huh?” Ava pokes, and Caitlin sighs, making the girl chuckle at her reaction.

 

“You’re so…” She trails off. There’s a lot she wants to say. 

 

“I know, I know.” Ava waves her off, fishing a french fry from her plate and taking it to her mouth. They’re silent for a moment and Caitlin considers opening her book again when Ava speaks up.

 

“Hey… Cait?” 

 

Her tone is tentative, soft. Her eyes are nervously looking to find Caitlin’s, and it makes Caitlin shift in her seat. 

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Um… Do you think — ah, forget it.” 

 

“No, what were you gonna ask?” Caitlin wants to know.  _ Needs _ to know. It sounds important.

 

Ava bites her lip, and Caitlin tries not to stare — she fails. 

 

“I wasn’t totally honest with you earlier.”

 

Caitlin raises an eyebrow, but nevertheless waits in silence. Ava continues, “I mean, I’m not here because my model cancelled last minute. I didn’t even have a shoot today,” Ava sighs, “I’m here because I have this party tonight…”

 

“Yeah?” Caitlin prompts her when Ava trails off, abusing her bottom lip with her top teeth. 

 

“I have this party tonight and… well, it’s not a requirement or anything, and you can totally say no — I mean, I’d love it if you didn’t, but —“

 

“Ava.” Caitlin states, pulling the girl back. Ava rarely got like this — the sight was absolutely too adorable and endearing and — okay, maybe now Caitlin’s the one losing focus — 

 

“Sorry. Um. Well, as I was saying… It’s not a requirement, but I can bring a date. If I wanted to.” Ava looks at her expectantly, her big brown eyes almost pleading for Caitlin to understand what she means. Caitlin does, but the fact that Ava’s most likely never been on that end of a request is almost too good to be true, and the short haired girl cannot let that go by unnoticed or unmentioned. 

 

“Not used to asking girls out, are we?” Caitlin smirks, almost too pleased with herself. Ava instantly huffs. 

 

“Who said I was asking you out?” Ava asks immediately, and when Caitlin opens her mouth she groans, “Yes, yes, whatever, I was. Yes. I want you to be my date. Like, in a date. Together. Will you?”

 

Caitlin positively beams, “I thought you’d never ask.” 

 

“God, me neither,” Ava grumbles, “I’ve never done this before.” 

 

“Yeah, I could tell.” 

 

“Shut up, Cullen.” 

 

“If I’m Edward, does that make you Bella?” Caitlin asks. Ava’s face of distaste is instant. 

 

“God, ew,  _ no.  _ Bella’s fashion is horrid.” She shudders. Caitlin laughs.

 

“Whatever you say, Swan.”

 

Ava squints, “Didn’t you have a test to study or whatever?”

 

“I did,” Caitlin nods, “But turns out I can’t tune you out.” 

 

Ava blinks. Then she snorts. 

 

“You’re so corny.”

 

Caitilin groans, “Can you  _ stop?”  _

 

_ (But please don’t,  _ Caitlin’s thoughts add,  _ distract me forever, whenever you want.) _

 

( _ Okay. She was joking at first, but maybe it’s the truth. Maybe this was going to be a problem. _ )

 

Ava laughs and the sound makes Caitlin melt. 

 

( _ Okay. Maybe it already was. _ ) 

 

**Author's Note:**

> i KNOW this is trash but... maybe leave me a comment if you liked it?


End file.
